The Buddha describes the seven underlying tendencies toward 1) sensual desire, 2) aversion, 3) views, 4) doubt, 5) conceit, 6) passion for existence, and 7) ignorance that are present in living beings.

AN 7.11  Paṭhamaanusaya sutta - Underlying Tendencies (First)

“Sattime, bhikkhave, anusayā. Katame satta?

“Bhikkhus, there are these seven |underlying tendencies::dormant dispositions; lit: sleeping alongside [anusayā]|. What seven?

Kāmarāgānusayo,
paṭighānusayo,
diṭṭhānusayo,
vicikicchānusayo,
mānānusayo,
bhavarāgānusayo,
avijjānusayo.

1.) The underlying tendency toward |sensual desire::passion or lust for sensual pleasures [kāmarāga]|,
2.) the underlying tendency toward |aversion::mental resistance, irritation, conflict [paṭigha]|,
3.) the |underlying tendency toward views::inherent inclination towards opinions, underlying conceptual beliefs; lit. views sleeping alongside [diṭṭhānusaya]|,
4.) the underlying tendency toward |doubt::uncertainty, indecisiveness wrt suffering, its arising, its ending, and the way of practice leading to the end of suffering [vicikiccha]|,
5.) the underlying tendency toward |conceit::self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth [māna]|,
6.) the underlying tendency toward passion for |existence::continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]|, and
7.) the underlying tendency toward |ignorance::fundamental unawareness or misunderstanding of the true nature of reality, not experientially understanding the four noble truths [avijjā]|.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta anusayā”ti.

These, bhikkhus, are the seven underlying tendencies.”

Qualities:

Aversion

Aversion

A rejecting mental quality rooted in perception, where one instinctively turns away from or resists unpleasant experiences or objects; it manifests as a tendency to push away discomfort, obstructing patience and acceptance.

Also known as: animosity, hate, hostility, fault-finding mindset, upset
Pāli: dosa, paṭighasaññā, vera
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Conceit

Conceit

Self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth

Also known as: arrogance, egotism, pride, self-importance, tendency of self-comparison
Pāli: māna, atimāna, unnaḷa
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Doubt

Doubt

Paralyzing indecision about the path or practice. Doubt obstructs confidence and clarity.

Also known as: confusion, indecisiveness, uncertainty, wavering, perplexity
Pāli: vicikiccha, kaṅkhā, vimati
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Ignorance

Ignorance

A fundamental blindness to the true nature of reality. It is not merely a lack of information, but an active misperception that views the transient as permanent and the unsatisfactory as a source of happiness, thereby fueling the cycle of suffering.

Also known as: illusion of knowing, fundamental unawareness of the true nature of reality, misunderstanding of how things have come to be, not knowing the four noble truths
Pāli: avijjā
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Passion

Passion

Intense desire or lust that dyes the mind. It fixates on the features of objects, coloring perception with infatuation and making it difficult to see things as they truly are.

Also known as: burning fever, intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust
Pāli: rāga
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Sensual desire

Sensual desire

A mental quality of desiring sensory gratification. It pulls the mind’s attention toward sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touches in a search for satisfaction.

Also known as: passion for sensual pleasures, lust, craving for pleasure, pull toward enticing sense objects
Pāli: kāmacchanda
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Wrong view

Wrong view

A distorted understanding that sees permanence in the impermanent, satisfaction in the unsatisfactory, or self in the not-self. Wrong view guides action by delusion, obscuring cause and effect, and closes the door to wisdom and release.

Also known as: distorted or inverted perception, untrue view, false belief
Pāli: micchādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on December 13, 2025